NDLEA Arrests 67-Year-Old at Abuja Airport for Ingesting 100 Wraps of Cocaine; Nabs Saudi-Bound Lady with 52 Pellets at Kano Airport; Destroys Over 11 Tonnes of Cannabis in Ogun, Edo Forests

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made significant arrests and drug seizures in multiple locations across Nigeria. In a daring operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, the NDLEA arrested a 67-year-old trafficker, Chukwuemeka Clement, who had ingested 100 wraps of cocaine. This arrest exposed a shocking criminal enterprise that Clement claimed to have entered to raise money for a fresh start in life after spending 30 years abroad in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Thailand.

Clement was apprehended on Tuesday, October 3rd, during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa. A body scan revealed multiple pellets in his stomach, and under observation, he excreted 100 wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 2.195 kilograms.

In his statement to authorities, Clement explained that his decision to engage in drug trafficking stemmed from the loss of his wife and childlessness after three decades of living abroad. He believed that the proceeds from drug trafficking would enable him to marry a new wife and start afresh.

On the same day, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 45-year-old woman, Bilkisu Mohammed Bello, who was preparing to board a Saudia Airlines flight to Saudi Arabia. Bello admitted to swallowing pellets of cocaine before her flight and led NDLEA officers to a house in Farawa, Kano, where 52 wraps of cocaine, weighing 767 grams, were recovered.

Simultaneously, NDLEA personnel, supported by the Nigerian Army, Civil Defence Corps, and Amotekun personnel, carried out a raid on James Town in Ogunmakin, Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun state. During this operation, they located and destroyed 10.38 tonnes of cannabis sativa spread across 4.152 hectares. Additionally, a truck carrying a 40ft container loaded with logs of wood was intercepted on the way back from the operation. A search of the container led to the discovery of two bags of cannabis sativa weighing 20 kilograms, resulting in the arrest of six suspects.

In a series of other successful operations, NDLEA operatives seized significant quantities of drugs in Edo, Gombe, and Oyo states. In Edo, a raid on Obi camp in Owan West LGA uncovered 30 sacks of skunk concealed within charcoal. In Gombe, a suspect was arrested with 50,000 capsules of tramadol, and in Oyo, NDLEA operatives patrolling along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway apprehended an individual carrying 52 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa, weighing 30 kilograms.

The NDLEA has also been actively engaged in its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign, conducting sensitization lectures at various schools across the country. The agency’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the outstanding efforts of NDLEA officers and commands nationwide for their achievements in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

These recent operations underscore the NDLEA’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria while emphasizing the importance of addressing the root causes of drug-related problems through education and awareness campaigns.